Horses & Other Interests
Awareness of the outside world. See Jane Write: How Do You Write When the World Is on Fire? A program announcement with strong advice whether or not you are interested in the program.
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Altadena Valley Park
Vestavia Hills
Birmingham, AL USA
December 2024
Seen during 5K stroll. [Last Walk of 2024]
Project explanation [Cat Statue]
Onwards!
Katherine
Awareness of the outside world. VoteHub: The Political Lean of Pro Sports, Lutz, January 20, 2026.
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Viejo Este
Pelham AL USA
June 2025
#roadsidehorses, #horsesinadvertsing
[Cat, project explanation]
Onwards!
Katherine
Awareness of the outside world. CNN: Don’t say ‘Watch out for ice’: FEMA warned storm announcements could invite memes, Cohen, Jan 23, 2026.
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While husband was being serious at the railroad museum … [Railroad Abstract]
… I took pictures of my newest rubber duck, courtesy of the gift shop.
Why a duck? [Cat, project explanation]
Onwards!
Katherine
Awareness of the outside world. Stand With Minnesota & Will Tell Stories For Food: How To Help if You are Outside Minnesota.
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Grumpy are we.
Project Explanation
Ridiculous cold continues for most of the week. I got nothing. First of all, nothing happening, therefore nothing to write about, we may even be below our temperature limit for morning walks. Secondly, I have been, and will continue to be, distracted.
Hear that horses? Nothing to write about. No drama. Looks at home team. Stares hard at Milton. Let’s all hunker down, stay well, & get through this nonsense.
Therefore, breaking out a new project for this week’s posts. Enjoy. Stay warm.
Onwards!
Katherine
Art of the outside world. Paint a model horse. National Model Painting Month 2026 & BCS: My NaMoPaiMo sign-up. Not my thing but sounds like fun if it is your thing. I enjoy reading about it every year. Sign up deadline is 31 January.
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Two IRL horses & a decorator model
Process Notes
I posed the question, “Any ideas for off-horse activities?” debandtoby suggested, “Painting or sketching horses?” [Homework]
This was an excellent idea. An artistic challenge. An interesting use of time. Who knows what I would discover if I sketched daily for the next six to eight weeks? I was certainly familiar with the visuals.
Unfortunately, the project did not take into account that my brain was fudge. I had the time. I did not have the bandwidth. What I discovered was that Quad Horse was as far as I was going to get. Injury repair does not leave space for massive self improvement. Who knew? [Quad Cat]
Computer Quad Horse is a recreation of my sketching. I did draw. Just not much.
Onwards!
Katherine
Poets of the outside world. Library of Congress: State Poets Laureate.
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Another change of plans. [Cat Pause in the Lesson Schedule]
Call for Submissions: Lyrics for Life
Create Birmingham
What I had for today – finished early no less! – is now a submission to an anthology. I didn’t know if a post would count as published, or if they care about already published material, but I figured I’d give them first shot. Will post if it is not selected. Will let you know if it is. Props to See Jane Write for spreading the word about Lyrics For Life.
If you are local and interested, deadline is 31 January 2026.
Instead of a post, more cats in boxes.
Blue & Pamplemousse
December 2025
Same delivery, inside. [Cat Pause]
Our first experiment with mail-order pet supplies. I’m not sure how i feel about it. The cats clearly approve.
Onwards!
Katherine
Nature photos of the outside world. “When the intrepid traveler confronted a picturesque vista, he would turn his back to it, whip out his Claude Glass, then manipulate it so that its reflecting surface formed an ephemeral, well-composed painting.” The Alps: A Human History from Hannibal to Heidi and Beyond, by Stephen O’Shea (Norton 2017), page 15. Tourism selfies are the modern day Claude Glass. Later in the book, the author makes the same association but believes the two are different since folks tried to keep themselves OUT of the image in the Claude Glass, page 45. I still see a parallel in the desire to distill the experience. What think you, similar or different? Related, JSTOR: The Claude Glass Revolutionized the Way People Saw Landscapes. Soth 2021.
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Pink Muhly Grass
Adopt A Plant
Railroad Park
Birmingham AL USA
I have “adopted” Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia Capillaris). One bush I assume?
I understand that Adopt A Plant or Adopt An Animal is a just a different way to frame a donation, and perhaps increase identification with the organization. That’s fine. I’m happy to support Railroad Park. I’ve never adopted an X. Thought it might be interesting.
I think I have the plant in question. The descriptions I found identify the plant by its pinkness. This is problematic in January. I think there is a blush of pink in the top photo. We’ll see if I got the correct plant come spring.
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 